Electric switch



June 2, 1931. ELWELL 1,808,534

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 10, 1927 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE,

GEORGE HENRY ELWELL, on NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To THE CaErsTY HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CoRroRATroN or MANUFACTURING COMPANY, on NEW CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC SVVITGH Application filed October 10, 1927. Serial No. 225,198. I

The invention relates to electric switches and especially to that class of reciprocatmg switches operatively thrown by means of push elements. In switches made adaptable for use in connection with electric lamp sockets and like devices it is deemed important that provision be made therein for both a sudden make and break of the electrical contact upon the full operation of the reciprocating means. It is therefore the object of this in vention to provide an electric switch of that class having but one movable part and a torsion spring. Further objects will appear as the invention'is described.

The following is the description of an embodiment of the invention, the construction of which within the scope of what hereinafter is claimed may be varied without departing from the spirit or modifyingzany of the ad vantages of the invention. eference being had to the accompanying drawings (one sheet) the Figure 1 is an upright elevation of an electric lamp socket, partly in cross-section, provided with the improved switch;

Figure 2 is an upright elevation of the same socket in a different position and the push element removed; Figure 3 is a top view of the supporting base of the lamp socket with the movable member mounted therein; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the movable member, and of the detached spring member and conductive spring element. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which similar parts are similarly numbered the electric switch, while adapted for association'with any electrical device requiring a switch, is illustrated here in connection with an electric lamp socket in which the supporting base is the body of insulation 1 having the transverse cavity 2 within which are the pairs of spaced abutments 3 and 4 and the floor groove 5 communicating with the peripheral groove 6, as best illustrated by Figures 1 and 2. The movable member 7 comprises a frame stamped out from sheet metal and Carrying screwed or otherwise attached thereto the push elements 8 and 9 at either extremity and having an edge adapted to slide within the floor groove 5, the frame being laterally supported by the ends of both pairs of abutments 3 and 4. The frame of the movable member 7 is best illustrated by degrees. The metal stock is cut awayalong one full side of this edge 10 to form the step 12. Fixed to the step side of the portion 11 is a part 13 of insulation material permanently attached thereto by means of a rivet, a thin metal lining14 separating the por-' tion 11 from the part 13 to complete the metal groove 15. If the stock out of which the frame is stamped is of sufficient gauge to permit a substantial groove, like'15, to be made in the edge 10 this metal lining 14 may be omitted. The attached part 13 is so constructed that it resembles in cross-section the letter U to form the insulation groove 16. The three parallel partitions 17, 18, and 19, are thus presented of which partition 17 is wholly of metal and extends at its forwardly end farther than do the others; The partition 18 is of metal upon one side and of insulation material upon the other side, while .the partition 19 is wholly of insulation material and extends at its rearwardly end farther than do the others. Suspended from the washer 20 of insulation material is a torsion spring 21 fixed thereto by the same eyelet by which the center lamp-contact is secured to the reversed side of the Washer as illustrated by Figures 1 and 2. This spring 21 has a normal at-rest position in the center of its arc of forced vibration in a plane of movement at right angles to the edge 10 and its free extremity is permanently slightlyftwisted,

turns to its at-rest position. clrcuit is thereby closed and remains closed tition of'insulation 19. Lying flatly under v the movable member 7 and within the floor groove 5 is the metal strip 22 bent at rightangles adjacent the periphery of the body 1 v to assume a Wider proportion within the peripheral groove G-and tothere form the bindingspost 23 of the center lamp-contact, the binding-post (not illustrated) of the screw-shell being of any desired form or construction.

From the "foregoing description it will be I obvious'that When the torsion spring 21 is held as illustrated in the Figures 1 and' 2,"

ityis forced to continue through the groove 16 to an extreme position in its arc of vibration in the opposite directionto' that illuslrated in the drawings untillthe spring extremity is permitted to snap out of the groove 16 and againstihe extension of the metal partition Has the spring.extremitythus partially re- The electric as long asth-e spring-text. rem-ity engages the extension of partition 17 or within the metal groove 15:.- In. reversingithe action of the electric switch. the inwardly push of theelement 8 permits the spring extremity to engage through to midway of the length. of. the groove 15 where the spring extremity fin'ds its at=rest position, but upon vthe full operation of thepush element thenspring. extremityfis made to continue ts engagement throughoutthe: groove 15, being. thereby forced to as sume its extreme position in its arc ofvibra-tion-r in the directionillustratect in the drawing until the spring extremityr 1s per mittechto: snapout of the groove 15 and:

against the extension of the insulation material of thepartition 19'. vThe electric circuit is thereby opened to remain open :as long as the springextremity engages theextension ofpartition 19 or within the groovelfi." It

will be noticed that as the spring extremity is engaged within the groove 15 its tendency,

by virtue ofitscontinuously seeking its-atvrest positiomxis' tobear against one side of the metal groove to a pointmidwaytherein andfthen 'to bear against the opposite side ofthe samegroovefro m themidway point throughout the remaining course of. the

groove. To permit this transfer-at anypoint within the groove would interrupt the much desired continuity of aclosedrcircuit until the spring extremity arrives atits snapping position as beforeexplamed-y Therefore the springext-remi-ty, being permanently formed with a slight twist out of the general plane of the spring proper, is made to enter the groove 15 only upon a forced twist of the torsion spring thus insuring such a relative position of the spring extremity within the groove that. it provides: a ,wiping I contact of both sides throughoutthe course of the entire groove regardless as to its bearing tendency mentioned above. While the spring extremity engages the groove; 16in like man ner, yet its engagement there is-ofno greater importance than to be maintained within thegroove until it arrives at its snapping position to close the circuit as above explained. An exceedingly simple and most effective electric switchflis thus provided.- Its opera-' tionis easy because the spring. resistance is so slight and yet, when the electric circuit has been-once closed or opened, no jar or other d sturbance shortof a manual operationof wpush element can open orclose the circuit. The persistent tendency of the spring extremityto seek .an vat-rest position prevents a j ar from "operating. the switch beyond such a point wherein the spring extremity has found its at-r'est position midway within eithergroove. H r

1. An electric switch'comprising a-movable member mounted upon a supporting base; a conductive spring fixed to the baseand having'an extremity adapted for an intermediate at-rest position and fora forced arc of movement in both directions obliquely across'the path "of the movablemember, and conductive and non conductive means carried by the movable member and engagedlbythe spring extremity to move the extremityv into and v out of contact with the conductive means.

2WAn electrlc'switch comprlsing a reciprocatingoperatmg member mounted upon a supporting base, a conductive spring fixed to the base and having anextremity adapted for an intermediate at-rest position and for a forced are of movement in both directions obliquely across the path-of'the reciprocat ing member, andirigid conductive and'nonconductive means provided by the reciprocatingl member and carrying the springfextremr ity intopand'out of contact with thet-conduotive means-as the reciprocating member is manuallyoperated in opposite directions:

3. Anelectric switch comprising a longitudina'llymovable member within asupportone-end-tothe. base andaits other end being adapted for a normal at-rest position inter mediate its arc ofmovementand-W1th1n one ofthe; grooves, the: spring and only oneself] ing base, the member carrying parallel" the grooves with its extending well being conductive.

n-- in) 4:. An electric switch comprising an insulation base having a cavity, a reciprocating operating member movably mounted within one of the grooves, the spring and only one of r the grooves with its extending wall being conductive.

5. An electric switch comprising an insulation base having a cavity, a reclprocating operating member movably mounted within the cavity, parallel grooves carried by, and

positioned obliquely to the path of movement of, the reciprocating member, each groove having an outside wall extending beyond the groove, each extended wall extending in oposite directions, and a spring secured to t e base and having a suspended and twisted terminal adapted for a normal at-rest position intermediate its arc of movement and within one of the grooves for engagement with both walls of the groove, the spring and only one of the grooves being conductive.

GEORGE HENRY ELWELL. 

